Suffer The Little Children
by J. B. Tilton
Summary: Prue, Piper, and Phoebe are mystified when Phoebe has premonition of a child in danger. When they go to help the child, they arrive at an abandoned building but don't find anyone in the building.


CHARMED  
  
"SUFFER THE LITTLE CHILDREN  
  
by J. B. Tilton  
  
email: aramath@isot.com  
  
Rating: G  
  
* * *  
  
Disclaimer: "Charmed" and all related characters and events are   
  
the property of the WB television network, except for those characters   
  
specifically created for this story. This is a work of fan fiction   
  
and no infringement of copyright is intended.  
  
* * *  
  
(Authors note: This story takes place between season 1 episodes   
  
"Feats of Clay" and "The Wendigo.")  
  
* * *  
  
Prue, Piper, and Phoebe are mystified when Phoebe has   
  
premonition of a child in danger. When they go to help the child,   
  
they arrive at an abandoned building but don't find anyone in the   
  
building.  
  
* * *  
  
ONE  
  
Phoebe was coming down the stairs just as Prue came in the front   
  
door with the newspaper in her hand.  
  
"Morning," said Phoebe, apprehensively.  
  
"Morning," said Prue.  
  
"You still Mad?" asked Phoebe  
  
" I never was really mad," said Prue. "I know it wasn't your   
  
fault an old boyfriend showed up with a cursed urn. I was just kind   
  
of frustrated. We have enough problems without old flames bringing us   
  
more."  
  
"I really am sorry," said Phoebe.  
  
"Apology accepted," said Prue. "Now its Sunday morning. Let's   
  
just forget about warlocks and demons and enjoy it."  
  
"Deal," said Phoebe. "Is that today's paper?"  
  
"Yeah," said Prue. "I thought I'd spend the morning relaxing   
  
and reading it. I don't usually get the chance to do that."  
  
"Can I have the classifieds?" asked Phoebe. "Most of the job   
  
notices come out on Sunday. I figured I'd take a look through them   
  
and get an early start job hunting tomorrow."  
  
"Now that's a good idea," said Prue handing the paper to Phoebe.   
  
"Just leave the rest of it on the sofa I'm going to get a cup of   
  
coffee."  
  
She turned and walked into the kitchen. Piper was busy fixing   
  
breakfast and the coffee had just finished.  
  
"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty," said Piper. "Breakfast is   
  
about ready."  
  
"Great," said Prue, pouring a cup of coffee. "I'm looking   
  
forward to a nice, quiet Sunday for a change."  
  
"So am I," said Piper. "I took the day off from Quake so I   
  
should be able to just kick back and take it easy."  
  
" Sorry guys, " said Phoebe coming into the kitchen, "I'm   
  
afraid that's not going to happen."  
  
" Oh no not a premonition?" asked Piper.  
  
"Afraid so, " said Phoebe, holding up the paper. She showed   
  
them a photograph of a two-story building on the front page. "A kid   
  
maybe fifteen. He was running through this building scared. And   
  
something was after him."  
  
"Something?" questioned Prue. "Or some one?"  
  
"Some THING," said Phoebe. "As far as I know, no one can pass   
  
through solid walls."  
  
" A ghost?" questioned piper  
  
" I don't think so," said Phoebe. "It didn't look like a ghost.   
  
It looked human but it was wearing some kind of robe or something."  
  
"Well," said Prue, looking the paper over, " It says here this   
  
place is scheduled for demolition in about a month. There's and   
  
address. It shouldn't take us long to get there. Let's go kick this   
  
things butt so I can get back to relaxing."  
  
"I'll drive," said Piper. "Phoebe, do you have any idea where   
  
this thing is hiding inside the building?"  
  
"I don't know," said Phoebe. "Maybe it just haunts the whole   
  
building."  
  
" It looks like a pretty big building," said Prue. "It was an   
  
apartment complex for about twenty years. I don't think we'll have a   
  
problem finding it, though. Once we get inside, it will probably come   
  
after us."  
  
"That's its problem," said Piper. "Well, guess breakfast will   
  
have to wait.  
  
The three went out to Piper's car.  
  
TWO  
  
"I don't understand," said Phoebe. "I know this is the right   
  
place. I recognize some of the pictures on the walls."  
  
"Well," said Piper, " We've been through almost the entire   
  
building. It doesn't look like anyone has been in here in years. And   
  
there's no sign of a ghost or anything else like that."  
  
"Maybe my premonition wasn't for today," suggested Phoebe. "I   
  
just assumed it was for today. Most of my premonitions are relatively   
  
soon."  
  
"Cant answer that," said Prue. "What I do know is no one is   
  
here. Can't save and innocent if they aren't where they're supposed   
  
to be."  
  
"What are you doing in here?"  
  
The sisters looked up to see a uniformed policeman standing just   
  
a few feet from them.  
  
"Oh uh," started Prue.  
  
"We, uh, saw a kid come in here," said Piper. "It, uh, didn't   
  
look safe in here. So we, uh, thought we'd get him out before he got   
  
hurt."  
  
"Where's this kid?" asked the policeman.  
  
" No sign of him," said Phoebe, " Guess he must have snuck out   
  
another way."  
  
"Well, you're right about one thing," said the policeman. "This   
  
place isn't safe. And it's private property. You're trespassing."  
  
"Just leaving," said Prue.  
  
"Okay, no harm done, I guess," said the policeman. "Just stay   
  
out of here in the future. You could get hurt. If you see anyone   
  
else come in here, call the police."  
  
"Yes sir," said Phoebe.  
  
"Well that was a waste of time," said Prue back in the car.  
  
"I don't understand," said Phoebe. "Why didn't we find the   
  
innocent or that spirit thing?"  
  
"Maybe you got the wrong place?" offered Piper. "Or maybe it   
  
hasn't happened yet. Until we have more information, there's not a   
  
whole lot we can do."   
  
"Let's go home," said Prue. "We'll just have to wait and see   
  
what happens.  
  
A figure stood in the shadows looking out a window as Piper   
  
drove away from the building. Three witches had come looking for it.   
  
It would not allow the witches to stop it. Its cause was clear. The   
  
figure melted back into the darkness of the building.  
  
* * *  
  
"I'm going to check the Book of Shadows," said Phoebe as the   
  
sisters went into the manor. "Maybe I can find out what this spirit   
  
thing is. That might help us figure when and where my premonition is   
  
supposed to take place."  
  
" Good idea," said Prue. "Let us know what you find out.  
  
As Phoebe went up to the attic, Piper went back to the kitchen.   
  
Prue went into the living room and started reading the newspaper.  
  
Phoebe had been upstairs only about ten minutes when Piper and   
  
Prue heard her calling for them. They rushed to the attic expecting   
  
trouble. As the entered the attic, Phoebe looked up at them   
  
excitedly.  
  
"I found it," said Phoebe. "It's called a Guardian Sprit.   
  
According to this, it's supposed to watch over and guard children.   
  
Protect them from demonic attacks and such."  
  
"You said the boy in your premonition was afraid of it," said   
  
Prue. "That doesn't sound like a Guardian Spirit to me."  
  
" I know," said Phoebe. " It doesn't make any sense,"  
  
"What about your premonition?" asked Piper. "Any idea when it's   
  
supposed to take place?"  
  
"That's just it," said Phoebe. " I don't think it's a   
  
premonition of the future. I think it's a vision of the past. As   
  
soon as I turned to this page, I had several more. Each was the same.   
  
Kids running from this thing in that building. Terrified of it."  
  
"So why would a spirit that's supposed to be protecting children   
  
be terrifying them?" asked Piper.  
  
"I don't know," said Phoebe. "Maybe it's gone rogue or   
  
something."  
  
"Is there a vanquishing spell for it?" asked Prue.  
  
"None listed," said Phoebe  
  
"Well, whatever this thing is, " said Prue, "it's preying on   
  
children. Phoebe, grab a pad. You can write a Power of Three spell   
  
on the way. We are going to back there. It's time to put an end to   
  
this thing."  
  
THREE  
  
Prue entered the main foyer of the building, followed close   
  
behind by Piper and Phoebe. Each held a copy of the spell Phoebe had   
  
written to vanquish the spirit. The sun had set and light from the   
  
street lamps created macabre, twisted shadows about the room.  
  
The building was long past its prime. The architecture was once   
  
a beautiful form of a time long past. But years of neglect and misuse   
  
had taken their toll. The once beautiful two-story structure was now   
  
nothing but an accident waiting to happen.  
  
" Spirit," called Prue into the darkness, "we know you're here.   
  
And we know what you've been doing."  
  
The three waited for any sign they had been heard. Boards   
  
creaked in the wind and insects chirped away in the night. But there   
  
was no sign of the Guardian Spirit.  
  
"You might as well show yourself," said Piper. "We aren't   
  
leaving until you come out and talk. "  
  
Suddenly a form began to materialize in front of them. When it   
  
finished, the Guardian Spirit stood before them. It appeared to be an   
  
elderly man reminiscent of a kindly grandfather. The spirit was   
  
draped in a white robe. It was transparent and the sisters could see   
  
the corridor behind it clearly.  
  
"What do you wish, witch?" asked the spirit.  
  
"We want you to leave the children alone," said Prue. "They've   
  
done nothing wrong. If you don't stop preying on them, we're going to   
  
stop you."  
  
"I prey on no one," said the spirit. "Mine is a just and holy   
  
calling."  
  
"You've been killing children," said Phoebe. "There's nothing   
  
just or holy about that. So go away and leave them alone and we won't   
  
vanquish your sorry butt."  
  
"My purpose is clear," said the spirit. "None shall deter me   
  
from it. Your power holds no sway over me. I will continue, as my   
  
purpose requires. Those who come to me will find their rest. I can   
  
do nothing else."  
  
"Well, don't say we didn't give you a chance," said Prue  
  
The three pulled out the papers with the spell written on them.   
  
In unison, the Charmed Ones recited the spell that would vanquish this   
  
spirit.  
  
"Powers of goodness, powers of light  
  
"Remove this spirit from our sight  
  
"Let the one who preyed on children past  
  
"Be vanquished now, to make them safe at last."  
  
They watched as the magic of the spell formed around the spirit.   
  
A Power of Three spell combined all of their powers into a single   
  
spell. In all of history, no power had been greater. Nothing was   
  
supposed to be able to withstand that power.  
  
Which explained their surprise. As they watched, the magic   
  
enveloped the spirit, and evaporate away, leaving the spirit unharmed.  
  
"As I have said," the spirit said, " your power holds no sway   
  
over me. Suffer the little children to come unto me and they shall   
  
find peace. I shall continue to fulfill my purpose.  
  
"Leave this place. Do not return. We shall not speak again. I   
  
shall be true to my calling as it should be. Our business is ended."  
  
The three sisters simply watched as the spirit faded from view,   
  
leaving them alone in the building.  
  
FOUR  
  
"Okay," said Prue as they walked into the manor, "anyone want   
  
to guess why the spell didn't work?"  
  
"I have no idea," said Phoebe. "A Power of Three spell had   
  
never failed before. It's not supposed to be possible for one to   
  
fail."  
  
"Well," said Piper, " it clearly did this time. And like the   
  
two of you, I have no idea why it failed."  
  
"We'll just have to think of something else," said Pure.   
  
"Phoebe's had more that one premonition about this thing. Which means   
  
we're meant to protect kids from it."  
  
"Something else?" questioned Piper. The Power of Three is the   
  
strongest magic we have. What else would you suggest?"  
  
"I don't know," said Prue, " but clearly there must be something   
  
else we're supposed to do. I just don't know what it is just yet."  
  
"I'll research that building," said Phoebe. "Maybe something in   
  
its history will give us a clue."  
  
"I'll check the Book of Shadows again," said Prue. "There might   
  
be something we missed the first time around."  
  
"Well," said Piper, "I'll see if I can come up with a   
  
vanquishing potion. The spell obviously didn't work. Maybe we'll   
  
have better luck with a potion."  
  
* * *  
  
"How's potion coming along?" Phoebe asked Piper the next   
  
morning.  
  
"Nothing," said Piper. "Everything I come up with doesn't come   
  
close to the Power of Three. I'm not sure there's a potion that will   
  
vanquish this thing."  
  
"Well, there's nothing in the Book of Shadows," said Prue,   
  
coming into the kitchen, "Other than what we already know. Phoebe,   
  
What did you find out?"  
  
"The building was originally built in the late 1920's," said   
  
Phoebe. It was used as an orphanage."  
  
"An orphanage?" asked Prue. "That thing goes after children.   
  
That means it could have been there since then."  
  
"Well it was eventually shut down," said Phoebe. "In the 1950's   
  
there was a big scandal. Apparently the administrators of he   
  
orphanage were charged with abusing the children."  
  
"Abused?" questioned Piper. " How?"  
  
"You name it," said Phoebe. "Beatings, sexual abuse, just about   
  
anything you can name. Most of the older girls were being forced to   
  
work as prostitutes or risk being thrown out. With nowhere else to   
  
go, they didn't have much of a choice.  
  
In 1957 there were several mysterious deaths. When the   
  
authorities investigated, they found out what was going on. The   
  
entire staff ended up going to prison."  
  
"Good," said Prue. "It all sounds disgusting. They were   
  
supposed to protect those kids, not misuse them."  
  
"In 1965," continued Phoebe, " a private corporation bought the   
  
property. They spent a lot of money fixing it up as an apartment   
  
building. Then they began renting it out in 1968."  
  
" I remember you mentioned it had once been an apartment   
  
complex," said Piper.  
  
"Here's the interesting part," said Phoebe. "Almost from the   
  
beginning there were problems with it. But only in the parts where   
  
the families had young children. Between 1968 and 1983, when it was   
  
finally closed, 36 children died mysteriously."  
  
"Sounds like the spirit has been busy," said Prue. "Obviously   
  
its been preying on kids for a long time."  
  
"I'm not so sure," said Phoebe. "It was a low rent building.   
  
Mostly people on welfare."  
  
"So?" asked Piper.  
  
"So," said Phoebe, "it means a lot of kids with a lot of   
  
problems. I also did some more checking. Since 1983, twenty-two kids   
  
have disappeared. All were either in or around the building when they   
  
were last seen."  
  
"What's that prove?" asked Prue.  
  
"Every one of them were runaways," said Phoebe. "None of the   
  
kids that lived around the property seemed to have been bothered.   
  
Only the runaways or the ones with problems seem to have disappeared   
  
there."  
  
"Which means," said Prue, "that maybe this Guardian Spirit may   
  
not really be evil."  
  
"Prue," said Piper, "its murdering children."  
  
"Maybe," said Prue. "Or maybe it's just doing what its supposed   
  
to do. The Book of Shadows said this spirit is supposed to guard and   
  
protect children. And it kept talking about fulfilling its purpose."  
  
"Right," said Phoebe. "Remember what else it said? 'Suffer the   
  
children...' Maybe this spirit just thinks it's protecting the   
  
children by ending their suffering. If it's been there since the   
  
orphanage was there, it would have seen a lot of suffering inflected   
  
by the staff there. Maybe it thought the only way to protect the   
  
children was to remove them from that environment."  
  
"And all the other kids," said Prue. "Runaways mostly, kids who   
  
left home because something at home was just more than they could   
  
handle and they didn't know what else to do. They went into the   
  
building to get out of the weather and the spirit must have sensed   
  
their pain."  
  
"So it relieved that pain the only way it knew how," said Piper.   
  
"By sending them on to what must surely be a better life in its mind."  
  
"Exactly," said Phoebe. "It doesn't see it as murder. Murder   
  
carries evil motives. That doesn't motivate this thing. It's only   
  
motivated by concern for the children. This spirit isn't evil, not   
  
really. It's just misguided. And it's not really preying on   
  
children. It's trying to help them."  
  
"Even if all that is true," said Piper, "it's still killing   
  
children. Whatever its motives are, we still have to protect them   
  
from it."  
  
"I don't think so," said Phoebe.  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Prue.  
  
"My premonition," said Phoebe. "I don't think it was about the   
  
children, per se. They're already gone. There's nothing we can do   
  
for them.  
  
"I think my premonition was about the Guardian Spirit. It's   
  
obviously misguided. I think the premonition was meant for us to get   
  
the spirit straight. Show it how its making a mistake by killing the   
  
children. Set it back on the right path, so to speak."  
  
"Okay that makes sense I guess," said Piper. "But how do we do   
  
that?"  
  
"We show it that it's using a permanent solution to a temporary   
  
problem," said Prue. "Come on. Let's go have a chat with this   
  
spirit."  
  
FIVE  
  
"Spirit," called Prue into the foyer of the building, "we've   
  
come back to speak with you."  
  
The spirit didn't appear. The sisters waited patiently.   
  
Suddenly a noise to their right caught their attention. They looked   
  
over and saw a young boy, trying to hide in the shadows.  
  
"Hey," said Phoebe, "what are you doing here?"  
  
"Nothing," said the boy. "Just looking around, I didn't mean no   
  
harm."  
  
"You should get out of here," said Prue. "It's not safe in   
  
here."  
  
"Yeah, okay," said the boy.  
  
As the boy started to head for the exit, the Guardian Spirit   
  
appeared in front of him.  
  
"You have pain," said the spirit. "I have come to end your   
  
suffering."  
  
"No," said Piper, stepping between the boy and the spirit.   
  
"You're not killing another child."  
  
"This does not concern you," said the spirit. "Step aside. He   
  
has pain. I must end his suffering."  
  
"It does concern us," said Prue, stepping up next to Piper.   
  
"What you're doing is murdering children. We can't let you do it   
  
anymore."  
  
"I must protect the innocent," said the spirit. "You must not   
  
interfere. The boy has pain."  
  
"Kid," said Phoebe, "what's your name?"  
  
"Davy," said the boy. "What is that thing?"  
  
"I'll explain later," said Phoebe. "You angry or upset about   
  
anything?"  
  
"My did said I couldn't go to a concert," said Davy, "I've been   
  
looking forward to it for a while."  
  
"Are you upset with your dad?" asked Phoebe.  
  
"Yeah, of course," said Davy. "How would you feel?"  
  
"Spirit," said Prue, "the pain you sense in the boy is minor. It   
  
will pass."  
  
"I must protect him from the pain," said the spirit.  
  
"You're not protecting him," said Phoebe. "All humans must   
  
endure some pain. You cannot protect them from all of it. Some pain   
  
and suffering is normal. It is part of who we are."  
  
"I must end his suffering," said the spirit.  
  
"What, by killing me like they said?" asked Davy. "Hey, man   
  
it's no big deal. There'll be other concerts."  
  
The spirit looked at Davy. The spirit seemed confused.  
  
"You do not wish me to remove your pain," asked the spirit.  
  
"Not if it means you have to kill me," said Davy. "It's just a   
  
concert. I got bad grades on my report card and my dad said no   
  
concerts until my grades come up. That's it. It ain't worth killing   
  
someone over."  
  
"But I can end the pain," said the spirit. "You will have no   
  
more suffering."  
  
"Yeah and I'll be dead," said Davy. "Thanks, but no thanks. I   
  
can live without one concert."  
  
"Spirit," said Piper, "we know you are only motivated by concern   
  
for the children. That is your purpose isn't it?"  
  
"To guard and protect the innocent," said the spirit. "That is   
  
my purpose."  
  
"We know what that's like," said Prue. "We are called the   
  
Charmed Ones. Our purpose is also to protect the innocent."  
  
"The Charmed Ones," repeated the spirit. "To protect the   
  
innocent and guard against the forces of evil that prey on good."  
  
"You know about us?" asked Piper.  
  
"All know of the Charmed Ones," said the spirit. "Beings of   
  
great power to vanquish evil and protect the innocent."   
  
"If you know that," said Prue, "you must also know we would not   
  
oppose you if what you're doing was right."  
  
"The Charmed Ones oppose evil and protect the innocent," said   
  
the spirit. "That is their destiny."  
  
"Then can what you be doing be right if we oppose it?" asked   
  
Piper.  
  
The spirit seemed confused. Momentarily, at least, its attention   
  
was not centered on Davy.  
  
"Davy," whispered Phoebe, "get out of here. Run and don't look   
  
back."  
  
Davy didn't need to be told twice. He turned and ran as fast as   
  
he could out a side door.  
  
SIX  
  
"The Charmed Ones must oppose evil," said the spirit. "To do   
  
otherwise would be to deny who you are."  
  
"And yet we oppose what you are doing," said Prue.  
  
"Could I have been mistaken?" question the spirit.  
  
"You've seen a lot of children in pain, haven't you?" asked   
  
Phoebe.  
  
"So much pain," said the spirit, closing its eyes. "So much   
  
suffering. I could do little to protect them."  
  
"What happened?" asked Piper. "What happened the first time you   
  
protected a child?"  
  
"A young girl," said the spirit. "Forced by the adults to do   
  
unspeakable things. Her pain was great. Her suffering was endless.   
  
She asked for death. To be free of the endless suffering she was   
  
forced to endure."  
  
"So you granted re request, didn't you?" asked Prue.  
  
"Her suffering was great," said the spirit. "I could do   
  
nothing. I have no power over those who are grown. Her suffering was   
  
more than she could bear. A child must not be allowed to suffer more   
  
than they can bear."  
  
"So you protected her," said Piper. "By ending her suffering."  
  
"Yes," said the spirit.  
  
"But spirit," said Prue, "Not all suffering is the same. You   
  
cannot take a child's' life simply because they suffer. As my sister   
  
said, some pain and suffering is normal. It is a part of growing up.   
  
It helps make us who we are."  
  
"Spirit," said Piper, "at one time perhaps it was necessary to   
  
end the suffering of the children. Heaven knows I wouldn't want a   
  
child to suffer if there was no way to help them. But the suffering   
  
of these children is only temporary. And there are ways to help them   
  
without killing them."  
  
"I have erred," said the spirit. "I believed I was relieving   
  
the suffering of those under my care. Now, I see I have been wrong.   
  
I have failed in my purpose. I am not worthy to be the guardian of   
  
the innocent."  
  
Before any of the sisters could speak the Guardian Spirit simply   
  
faded from sight.  
  
* * *  
  
"What do you think happened to the spirit?" Phoebe asked the   
  
next day.  
  
"I don't know," said Prue. "We've tried to contact it with no   
  
success. Maybe it went back to where Guardian Spirits come from."  
  
"I wonder," said Piper. "At any rate, I don't think we'll have   
  
any more mysterious deaths at that place."  
  
"Especially after they demolish it next month," said Phoebe.   
  
"What about Davy? Think he'll tell anyone about us?"  
  
"Well, if he does," said Prue, "I don't think anyone will   
  
believe him."  
  
"He doesn't know who we are anyway," said Piper, "so I don't   
  
think we have a whole lot to worry about."  
  
"It's a shame, you know?" asked Phoebe. "That spirit wasn't   
  
really evil. I guess it just couldn't distinguish the different   
  
levels of pain. All it saw were children in pain and was doing what   
  
it thought was the best way to relieve that pain."  
  
"But you know," said Piper, "it's nice to know that guardian   
  
angels aren't just make believe. It's nick knowing there's someone or   
  
something out there that's watching over people. Especially small   
  
children."  
  
"Maybe," said Prue. "But if you ask me, whoever or whatever   
  
they are, they aren't doing that great a job. There's still too much   
  
suffering in the world."  
  
"Like we told the spirit," said Piper, "it's part of being   
  
human."  
  
"I guess," said Prue.  
  
"Well," said Phoebe, getting up, "there's nothing we can do   
  
about it right now. Guess I'll see what the classifieds have today.   
  
Maybe there's still a decent job out there somewhere."  
  
As Phoebe went to check the classifieds, Piper thought about the   
  
Guardian Spirit. She thought how it would be nice if adults had a   
  
guardian angel to watch over them.  
  
The End  
  
If you've enjoyed this story, you can find more "Charmed"   
  
stories at my website, www.geocities.com/killeenmale/ . You can also   
  
post your own "Charmed" stories if you like to write fan fiction. 


End file.
